I was Bitten at The Bite

The Edge has many culinary events. Some to beef up the food bank, others as fund raisers for worthy causes. This past weekend it was The Bite; a food, wine, and beer extravaganza helping to raise money for the Special Olympics. We woke to a gorgeous day with a perfect al fresco temperature. Through the years this event has added “Iron Chef” competitions, culinary demonstrations and a good selection of haute and junk food.

After grabbing (and donating $) a glass of wine we surveyed the crowd. It’s never a dull moment on The Edge. Humans sporting flip flops and tattoos were rubbing elbows with their Birkenstock elders. Each clothed in their own fashion statement. The common denominator was the abundance of porcelain hued skin, even in August.

It wasn’t that we were hungry but why else should one go to a food event but to eat? NSSP wanted the haute. I wanted to bottom feed. His haute was sold out so we stumbled to a cheese steak booth. Next door cheese fries were giving me the come hither. We split up only to find that NSSP’s cheese steak line was moving faster than the fries. With sandwich in hand NSSP turned to me and consoled me with, “You really don’t need them.” He didn’t see the tear of disappointment nor read my mind that was screaming, “I want to gorge on cheese fries!” I trudged behind NSSP to a table to split our sandwich. I made a mental note in the future not to bring him to a grazing extravaganza unless he was ready for some serious chow.

Once slightly sated we ambled around the event, I had brought my camera (its first public excursion) to play with my new found photographic knowledge. It’s not hard to entertain me at food events I am a junkie for watching people cook. There was the giant paella pan, a bubbling flat cauldron of colors and smells.

 

Skewers of shrimp, the usual Edge bento. My heart stopped. Tucked away, off to the side was a PB&J booth.

I have worked many restaurant lines and watched even more, but this one with its efficiency and simplicity of product grabbed me. I started taking pictures of the finished product when Photo Lesson 101 tapped my shoulder. “You need action! You need human involvement. Take pictures of people making the food!”

“But what if the pictures aren’t good? I can’t control their movement or the composition!”

“That’s why you have a digital camera stupid! Look, like, save, or delete.”

I snapped, and snapped and was having a great time, honestly I had no idea how the pictures would come out but I was working on the process.

 

I looked up and realized NSSP was on the other side of the booth.

I sidled over and was captivated by the owner’s sandwich savvy. A squirt of peanut butter a smear of jam, topping of bread and off the grill station for a toast up. I was salivating and damning the beef whiz sandwich we had just ingested.

NSSP turned on his charm and The Peanut Butter Guy was spilling his story. Eyes ever watching his crew and deftly executing his creations we learned that he and his partner came from Nevada seeking a better lifestyle and finding it on The Edge. They set up a PB&J food cart and are fulfilling a dream. Life can be so simple when you’re in your 30’s.

I mentioned that I am an open faced PB&J gal and The Peanut Butter Guy’s eyes lit up as he tempted me with a sandwich he was creating for a special such passion and love for a food product. Note to self do lunch at their cart before the rains descend.